Released right at the start of the year, "A Dog's Life" is the debut demo from New York's Pitfight, a band that features former members of at least two solid metallic hardcore acts from back in the day (one of which I've written about here in the past) that I've been asked not to mention so that the band can get a fresh start without any preconceived notions (creative research on MySpace could probably yield these details, should you be so inclined). Like some of the other demos I've written up this week, the production values need a hint more work to really maximize what the band has to offer, but the guitar tone is fuckin' great and they're definitely on the right track, so for a demo this sounds absolutely fine. Expect seven tracks/17 minutes of chunky metallic hardcore that blends straightforward, moderately fast chord progressions, chugging grooves, subtle hints of melody, and some more involved metal-based riffing to cover plenty of ground within the same general realm. While overall it doesn't particularly remind me of the members' past efforts (which is perfectly fine), there's still a 90's sort of vibe going on across the board, but it's pretty damn obvious that I'm a massive fan of that sound, so in my mind it's never a band thing when contemporary hardcore bands look to those days for influences. There's definitely a lot of potential here...
I'm not sure if any physical copies of this demo exist, but whatever means are available, I'd recommend contacting the band via MySpace to inquire about getting your hands on the complete demo.
